Week Ahead: 9-13 December

Monday 9 December

Interim: Anite

Finals: Alternative Networks, Jelf Group, RWS Holdings, Treatt

AGMs: Conroy Gold & Natural Resources, Karelian Diamond Resources

Companies paying dividends: Rotala (0.55p)

Tuesday 10 December

Interims: Ashtead, Carpetright, Iomart, Photo-Me International

Finals: Tui Travel, Victrex, Zytronic

Trading statement: Whitbread

AGMs: Billing Services, Debenhams, Tristel, Utilitywise, Weatherly International

Economics: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors house price data, industrial production figures, manufacturing output figures, trade figures, National Institute of Economic & Social Research GDP estimate (November)

Companies paying dividends: ISG (4.59p), Walker Crips (0.51p)

TUI Travel (TT.) - which announces full-year figures on Tuesday - saw its shares sink recently after Norwegian shipping tycoon John Fredriksen dumped his 5.4 per cent stake in the tour operator at 366p a share. He used the money to bolster his stake in TUI's German parent TUI AG in order to strengthen his hand in future talks about a possible merger of the two. Of course, there has been some short-term damage, but the business is operationally sound. TUI regularly beats expectations, most recently after a strong third quarter, and predicts full-year underlying operating profit that's "at least" 10 per cent higher. Panmure Gordon points out that TUI is able to increase both prices and margins, and predicts a compound annual growth rate in EPS of 12 per cent over the next three years. The broker anticipates full-year adjusted pre-tax profit of £462m, giving adjusted EPS of 29.8p. At 367p, and trading on a modest 11 times EPS forecasts for 2014, we reiterate our buy tip (340p, 12 September 2013).

Wednesday 11 December

Interims: Begbies Traynor, Imagination Technologies, Stagecoach

Trading statements: Carillion, PZ Cussons

AGMs: Sareum Holdings, Tangiers Petroleum

EGM: Greencoat UK Wind

Companies paying dividends: Carador (0.34p), HSBC (6.25p), Investors in Global Real Estate (1.05p), London Finance & Investment Group (0.4p), M Winkworth (1.4p), Unilever (22.8p)

Begbies Traynor (BEG) announces half-year figures on Wednesday and the UK's leading independent recovery practice has been busy positioning itself for an upturn in UK corporate insolvencies. But big doubts remain over the timing of that with many sickly - or so-called zombie outfits - being kept on life support, with cheap money and tolerant creditors. Begbies' cost base has been steadily reduced, however, leaving the way open for an operational gearing effect - with little need for an increase in staffing levels - when business picks up. Although, in the group's latest Red Flag Alert report, which monitors the financial health of the UK corporate world, businesses experiencing financial distress fell 2 per cent in the third quarter to 2,951, Analysts at Shore Capital are forecasting full-year pre-tax profit of £4.87m and EPS of 3.8p (from £2.42m and 1.6p in 2013). True, the number insolvencies may not accelerate just yet, but Begbies is well placed for when it does. Furthermore, at 37p, the shares are trading at little more than half net asset value and are rated on a modest 10 times forecast earnings. Throw in a prospective dividend yield of nearly 6 per cent and the shares are worth hanging onto - even if a re-rating may be some way off. Hold.

Thursday 12 December

Interims: Sports Direct International, Supergroup

Finals: Domino Printing Sciences, Titon Holdings

Trading statements: Go-Ahead Group, John Wood, Moss Bros

AGMs: PipeHawk, Wessex Exploration

Companies paying dividends: Avingtrans (1.5p), Hargreaves Services (13.6p), Jarvis Securities (4.5p), London Security (38p)

Sports Direct International (SPD) should report solid half-year results on Thursday. A trading update in October already revealed that group sales for the nine weeks to 29 September had risen 15.1 per cent to £463.7m, while the gross profit grew 19.4 per cent to £199.8m. That followed an equally strong update in September, covering the 13 weeks to 28 July, which reported 18.2 per cent sales growth and 23.2 per profit growth. Chief executive David Forsey said in October that he was confident the group would reach its full-year internal 'stretch' underlying cash profit target of £310m, too. That will determine the bonus that's served-up to employees - the group's generous bonus scheme is a fantastic incentive for staff. Analysts at Citi, however, expect the company to surpass that target by reporting a full-year cash profit of £331m, and also believe that 15 per cent cash profit growth over the next three years looks "increasingly plausible." Citi expects full year pre-tax profit of £265m, giving EPS of 33.4p. At 749p, the shares are trading on a pricy forward PE ratio of 19 for 2015. But with sales growing strongly, and expansion going to plan, it's a price worth paying. Buy.

Friday 13 December

Trading statement: Bellway

AGMs: Bellway, Earthport, MJ Gleeson

Economics: Construction output data

Companies paying dividends: Barclays (1p), Blackrock Growth Europe IT - special (1p), Blackrock Growth Europe IT (4.5p), Braemar Shipping Services (9p), Carnival (15.65p), Carphone Warehouse (2p), Charles Stanley (3p), Craneware (6.3p), Energy XX1 (Bermuda) (0.12p), Keystone Inv Tst - special (7p), Keystone Inv Tst (32p), Midas Income & Growth (1.34p), Plexus Holdings (0.55p), SABMiller (15.481p), Securities Trust of Scotlan (1.15p), Synergy Healthcare (8.57p), TalkTalk Group (4p), Utilico Emerging Markets (1.525p), Utilitywise (1.8p), Wynnstay Properties (4.2p), Young and Co's Brewery (7.45p)

Shares going ex-dividend on 11 December

The ex-dividend date is the first day on which it is no longer possible to buy the shares and qualify for the dividend. Ex-days are almost always a Wednesday. The record date is usually two days after the ex-date. The payment day is the day on which the funds are transferred to shareholders.